Slain diplomat honored in New “Stories of Oneness” children’s book

Slain diplomat honored in New “Stories of Oneness” children’s book

Posted By The Well, Community Contributor

Elementary students participating in the Artists of Peace field trip display artwork for the new "Language of the Heart" children's book dedicated to fallen diplomat Anne Smedinghoff from River Forest, IL.

Elementary students participating in the Artists of Peace field trip display artwork for the new "Language of the Heart" children's book dedicated to fallen diplomat Anne Smedinghoff from River Forest, IL. (Posted By The Well, Community Contributor)

Posted by The Well, Community Contributor

In April 2013, a young U.S. diplomat, Anne Smedinghoff, 25, of River Forest, was killed with four other Americans when a bomb set off by the Taliban exploded as the group travelled to deliver textbooks for Afghani school children. As an assistant press information officer for the State Department, Smedinghoff spent most of her time working on public diplomacy initiatives with the Afghani people. In an interview on Afghan television Anne had commented that we are more alike than different. Anne understood that it is the language of the heart that unites us.

Around the time of Anne’s death, The Well Spirituality Center in LaGrange Park, Il., was hosting a leadership retreat designed to foster relationship across social, racial and economic boundaries. This multiday retreat for elementary school children and their teachers offered participants a message of peace and unity and the opportunity to create artwork and language for a children’s book based on an original composition by Kathy Sherman, CSJ.

Anne had been a student at St. Luke elementary school in River Forest, one of eight grade schools participating in the “Artists of Peace” leadership retreat. Just before the group re-gathered in April, Bridget Sperduto, Executive Director of The Well Spirituality Center, extended an invitation to the fallen Smedinghoff’s parents to participate in the retreat by telling the students about Anne and her work for peace. “Tom and Mary Beth came”, Bridget said, “and told the kids about what Anne was like when she was ten years old. ‘Just like you’, they said.

According to Sperduto, the Smedinghoff’s proudly spoke of the work their daughter was doing when she was killed, and courageously shared the deep pain of their loss. “The language of the heart – the language of peace, love and unity – became real to the students in this experience. They saw and felt the Smedinghoffs’ pain and in return offered their love. They were united with them in sorrow and the student’s heartfelt experience was reflected in the words and art they produced that day.” Dedicated in her memory, the book, A Language of the Heart, features artwork created by American and Afghani children in an effort to reach across the globe in unity. This book, created by children for children, will help ensure Anne Smedinghoff’s work for peace will continue.

The Artists of Peace program is an extension of The Stories of Oneness Project by The Well Spirituality Center that aims to create original learning resources utilizing the artwork of local school children to highlight the CSJ charism that “All May Be One.”

The book A Language of the Heart will be released Sunday, October 13, 2013 at a celebration at the Congregation of St. Joseph beginning at 10:30 a.m. All are welcome. A Language of the Heart will also be available online at www.ministryofthearts.com. Your tax-deductible donation will be used to distribute books in Afghanistan. Please visit www.csjthewell.org to make your contribution.

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The Well Spirituality Center encourages people of all faiths to recognize our unity with God, the Earth and one another. The Well is a sponsored ministry of the Congregation of St. Joseph.

THE WELL SPIRITUALITY CENTER - A Ministry of the Congregation of St. Joseph1515 West Ogden Avenue LaGrange Park, IL 60526call: 708.482.5048 e-mail: thewell@csjoseph.org web: www.csjthewell.org